The One with the Alternate Ending
by ParadingGoats
Summary: We all know how friends ended, but what if, on the way to the airport to catch Rachel, Phoebe's wreckless driving caused an accident in which she was left in critical condition, and Ross died. This is the story of what could have happened. Enjoy! My first fan fiction!
1. Prologue

**The One With The Alternate Ending**

Monica's looked down at Erica and smiled. "My little angel." Her hair was sticking up in tufts and she had no make-up on, but she didn't care for once. Her hair hadn't been brushed since the babies came home from hospital two days ago, the apartment hadn't been cleaned for three, but she didn't care. Chandler came up behind her and put his hands on her waist. "Beautiful." He smiled. "Let's hope she doesn't get your bossy and obsessive neatness." He half joked. "Let's hope Jack doesn't get your sense of humour! He's going to military school otherwise…" Chandler laughed. "I don't think military school would be half as bad as 'Monica-School'. Now there's a form of torture!" Monica rolled her eyes. "Do you _ever _stop joking? Can you?" Chandler smirked. "Do you _ever _stop cleaning and organizing? I will if you will." Monica looked shocked. "I haven't cleaned in three days. Oh God, I think I need to sit down." She actually looked genuinely faint. "Aha, there's the Monica I know!" Chandler laughed. "We're laughing! We're smiling, always smiling. We do that more now, don't we? I've never been so happy, Chandler. Have you?" Monica asked him. "It's a three way tie." He told her.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. The day you agreed to marry me, the day you actually did, and right now, as a family." He smiled. "I love you." She told him. He gently kissed her. "I love you too." There was a knock on the door. "Probably another well-wisher." Monica guessed. She had no idea how wrong she was. "I'll get it" Chandler said. "No, I will. If I don't get out of here now, I never will!" She exclaimed. Chandler took Erica off of Monica, and she rushed to get the door. 'Oh.' She thought. It was a paramedic.  
"Hello..?" Monica said cautiously.  
"Monica Geller?" asked the burly paramedic.

"That's me."  
"I'm afraid I have some bad news. Would you like to sit down?" He said gently.  
"Of course you do, no paramedic shows up and says "I have some good news!' And you know it's bad when a stranger offers you a seat in your own home. I mean, usually I'd be telling you to take a seat, not the other way around and –"  
"Monica." The paramedic gently shutting her up. "You're Ross Geller's sister, correct?"  
"Yes."  
"What relation to Mrs. Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan are you?" He asked gently.  
"It's just Phoebe. None of that Mrs. Hannigan stuff. I'm not related, she's a close friend. Non-biological sister, I guess." Monica smiled.

"There's no easy way to say this, and I wish I didn't have to. I'm afraid there was a car accident. We don't know why, but we suspect Mrs. Buffay…erh…Phoebe was speeding."  
"She was trying to get Ross to Rachel on time; he's in love with her. I'm sorry Officer…Wait, you're not a cop, you're a paramedic, so why are you telling me this? Oh no…What's the damage?" Monica was getting panicked.  
"Phoebe, she's in critical condition." He started off. "Will she be okay?" Asked Monica frantically. "She has a 50/50 chance of surviving." He told her honestly. "But…Ross. He's, Monica I'm afraid Ross has passed away. He died seconds after we got him out of the car. There was nothing we could do, and believe me we tried." Chandler stood in the door way, taking in everything silently. Monica fell to pieces. "We have already contacted Joseph Tribiani, he's gone to get in touch with Ursula Buffay. Your parents are on their way, we couldn't contact Rachel though. Mike is at the hospital. I can offer you a lift there if you'd like." He offered. "Yes, please." Answered Chandler.  
** * * ***


	2. Chapter 1: The Aftermath

**Chapter 1**

Joey stood outside Ursula's apartment. His eyes were dry and itchy from all the crying he did when he found out about Phoebe and Ross. The thing was though; He was more concerned about Phoebe. He was torn apart by the death of Ross, which he had only found out about two hours ago, but if Phoebe died it would be unbearable to him. He never voiced it out loud, but she was his rock. Ursula opened the door. Damn, he forgot they were identical. "Helloo!" She almost sang. He hated her for being happy. "Ursula, Phoebe and Ross were in a car accident earlier today." He told her quickly. "Ross died. Phoebe…"  
"Ooh what did she leave me?" She asked excitedly. "What..? Phoebe's not dead, Ursula." He was taken aback by her lack of concern. "Okaybyenow" She said all at once, shutting the door. He stopped her with his foot. "Oh it's you again." She said. "Listen you toxic woman." He snapped. "Phoebe has only a 50/50 chance of survival. You have never been there for her in her life, and right now I hate you for that. You always leave her when she needs you most so now is your chance to make up for that." She looked amused. "Why would I want to make up to her for it? Send me her stuff when she croaks." Ursula shut the door. Joey was enraged. How could she do that to Phoebe? He stormed out and called a taxi. He was at the hospital before he knew it. He went straight up to Phoebe's room and knelt at her bedside. "Hey Joey." Said Mike. "Mike." Joey nodded angrily; he had wanted to be alone with Phoebe. "I'm so sorry man, this must be so rough on you and the gang, you were all so close." Mike patted his shoulder, but Joey shook him off. "I know our gang was close, Mike. I was apart of it." Joey snapped. "Hey, I'm just trying to be nice, Joe." Mike held his hands up. "Just get out." Mike tilted his head "Did I do something wrong?" Joey shook his head "You don't get it, do you?" Mike frowned "Get what?"  
"You got your dream girl, Mike. I never got mine. You got Phoebe; I didn't get my chance with her." Joey looked at Phoebe "She shot me down the day we first met, she said I'm a guy who wants a fling and she doesn't want to be 'flung'." Mike smiled slightly "That sounds like her." Joey ran his hand through his hair "I was in love with her, Mike. I still am! And every kiss, every touch, when she looks at you the way she does, it drives me crazy. When her sister broke up with me I was so upset, because I thought she could be my Phoebe. When Phoebe was comforting me, we kissed. I thought that was it, I thought I had her, but I never did. I kissed her one birthday too, I was on a different planet, she's so amazing. I just, I always thought we'd end up together. She always told me we would. The reason I kept sleeping around was to keep my feelings for her hidden. Mike, I hate you." Joey confessed. "I don't blame you. I'd hate me too." Mike walked out; leaving Joey feeling like the conversation was incomplete. He locked the door and pulled the blinds. He held Phoebe's hand. "Pheebs." He cried gently. "You can't leave me; you can't leave me with these people. You're the only one who understands me. I…I love you. I wish you could have been mine. I wish…I don't think I'll ever find love, not with anyone but you. I tricked myself into loving Rachel at one point, just to see if I could get over you. You have to survive this. I don't care if you never feel the same way for me; you just need to get better." Joey cried. He decided it was better to leave now, while he was just holding up. He touched her hand and went to leave. He froze. Did she just…Move? Her hand, he could swear she moaned too. Maybe he was just imagining. Maybe… He saw her guitar in the corner and ran his hands over the strings. Then, to the tune of 'Smelly Cat' he began to sing 'Sleepy Pheebs, Sleepy Pheebs, why won't you wake up for me, Sleepy Pheebs, Sleepy Pheebs, you're driving me insaaane.' He smiled and kissed her forehead. Now, onto the next problem. Ross. He knew it would be a tough couple of months, maybe even years, dealing with what was to come. He felt tired; he didn't want to deal with this. He felt like sleeping forever, or at least until this was over. He had to be strong for the girls. And Chandler, if he needed it. He was an actor; this should be child's play for him. He walked out and met the others. Mike re-entered Phoebe's room. Joey felt a pang of jealousy, though he knew he was only trying to give the group privacy. Monica was with her parents, sobbing, but when Joey emerged she ran into his arms. "I'll go get some coffee with Monica, you guys stay here." Joey stuttered. They walked and Joey looked at her "What was that about?" He asked. Monica wiped her eyes. "My parents; I had to leave. I know deep down that in their eyes, they lost the wrong child. They wished it had been me." She sobbed into his arms. "I wish it had been me." She added quietly. "I know the feeling." Joey mumbled. "What?" Monica was confused. "Phoebe, I mean. If she dies…" Monica hugged him tight. "I'm so sorry, I forgot, still in love with her, huh? That's gotta be rough." Joey nodded "I swore she moved Monica, I swear it! But how are you holding up, Monica?" Monica sighed "I can stop competing with him, finally. But I loved him. I've been sat here reading his favourite Dinosaur book. I still don't get his fascination with the things." She laughed a little. "Joey, how are we ever going to get over this? What about Rachel and Emma, they don't have any one to support them through this." Monica groaned. "Shh, I'll be there for them, no matter what. Just like Phoebe was my rock, I'll be theirs." Joey put his arm around Monica and walked back to the gang, forgetting to get coffee. They all stayed silent for a while; no one willing to break the silence, they all stayed wrapped in their thoughts.


End file.
